Electrical alarm device.



A; J. RICE. ELECTRICAL ALARM DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APB.; 27, 1910.

Faensei Mayr 39, MN.

`UNTTEU 'STATES PATENT FFIC E.

ALvEY J. RICE,

0F LAWBENCEBURG, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF vOllE-t-ALF T0 THOMAS B. MOGURK, 0F MCBRAYER, KENTUCKY.

ELECTRICAL ALARM nnvrcn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1911.

Application sied apra 27, i910. sei-ia1no.557,e7o.

, compaiiying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical alarm devices and has for its ob- ]ect to provide an extremely simple device .of this character which isespeeially designed and adapted for use in flour mills and operates to causean alarm when theI delivery chute becomes choked with flour.

A. furtherobject is to provide an extremely simple alarm device wherein an electric circuit is adapted to be automatically closed to ring a bell or operate the desired signal'so that the delivery spout may be immediately opened andlthe liability vof waste thereby.

eliminated. i l

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the nov-el features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the flour spoutshow'ing my improved signaling device ar ranged therein, the cover board being broken away; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fi 1; and Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the spout section carrying the signaling device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 5 indicates a rectangular spout or chute through which the flour descends. One of the greatest di'culties in the milling of flour is to keep the chutes 0r spouts open'. They are. constantly becoming choked and often require tlve machinery 'to be stopped and also result in considerable waste ofy the Hour. 'In order to overcome these difficulties, I cut out a' section of one side of the spout adjacent to its lower end and in such cut away portion a porcelain slab .or base 6 is inserted. \This base may also be formed of hard rubber or other suitable insulating inaterial and is securely held in such cut away portion ,by means of the turn' buttons 7 which are arranged above and below the saine upon the sideof the` spout 5.

Upon the outer face of the insulating slab 6, the binding posts 8 are arranged. To these binding posts the circuit wires of an electric batitery't) are connected, a bell 10 or other suitable signaling device being arranged iii said circuit. Beneath one of the binding posts 8 a contact plate 11 is secured, said plate being angularly bent and disposed in' spaced relation to the insulating slab 6. Upon the inner face of said slab a flexible sheet metal plate 12 is secured at one end by the screw 13 which fastens the other of the binding posts upon the outer face of said slab.- This plate normally extends into the chute from the screw 13 at an angle to the slab@ and has secured adjacent to its free end? a contact rod 14e which is movable throughfan opening 15 provided in the slab 6, said opening being disposed opposite to the contact plate 11. In order to protect the contact plate 11 and the binding post, a

end'of said board being secured to the spacing blocks 16 which are in tur?. secured to the sides of the discharge spout.

The. plate 12. being connectedfto the primary of the electric circuit and the contact plate 11 to the secondary of said circuit, it will therefore be obvious that normally the circuit is broken when the movable plate 12 'is disposed in the position illustrated in Fig. 2. lf they chute or spout .5 begins to choke' up at the bottom the accumulation of fiour between the plate 12 and the opposite wall of thev spout will gradually force said plate outwardly against the insulating slab 6. l/Vhen a sucient quantity of flour has thus accumulated, its weight will move said plate to a sufficient extent to engage the end of I,cover board 16 is arranged thereover, the

the ro'd 14 carried thereby with the contact plate 11. `The electrical circuit is thus con-` nected and the bell or other signaling device' operated so'that the miller will know that the chute is becoming choked and can open the same without delay. This is usually done by striking the sides of the spout with a mallet .or block of wood so as to dislodge the accumulated flour therein.

From the above it will be seen thatl have provided a very simple andl efficient device which is automatically actuated to operate the alarm and relieves the miller of considerable extra work and anxiety. The wasteo'four and loss of time which has heretofore been the result ofthe choking of the 4flour chutes in a milling establishment is entirely eliminated and a device provided which very positive in its operation, durable in use and may be manufactured at a very low cost.

lVhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the same is susceptible of many minor modifications Without-departing from the essential features or sacriticing any of the advantages thereof.

Bly improved signal device is also applicable to gravity conveyers which are utilized for convevin@r various other materials than flour, and it will be understood that I do not Wish to be restricted to the particular application of the invention as above set forth. I

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

l. An alarm device ofthe character described comprising an insulating base, binding posts arranged upon said base, the Wires of an electric circuit being secured to 'said binding posts, a resilient sheet metal plate fixed at one end upon one side of the base and connected to'one of said binding posts, a contact plate angularly bentlintermcdiate of its ends and rigidly fixed at one of said ends to the other binding post, the free end of said plate being disposed in parallel relaeaaaae tion to the base and spaced therefrom, said base having an opening therein in line With the end portion of the contact plate7 and a contact rod fixed at one end to said resilient plate and movable through the opening-in said base for engagement with said Contact plate to connect the electric circuit.

Q. Ain alarm device of the character describedl comprising an insulating base, binding posts arranged upon said base, the Wires of an electric circuit being secured to said binding posts7 a resilient sheet metal plate fixed at one end upon one side of the base and connected to one of said binding posts,F said p late extending from its fixed end at an angle to the face of said base7 a contact plate secured upon the other face of the base by the other binding post, the end of said plate being spaced from the base, said base having; an orice therein, and a contact rod iixed upon the free end of the resilient plate for movement through said orifice into engagement with said contact plate to connect the electric circuit.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aihz; my signature in 'the presence of two witnesses.

ALVEY J. RICE.

1Witiiesses z C. BOND,

W. B. SAFFELL. 

